news details |
|
|
| Justice Mehar Chand Mahajan, Architect of J&K | | | Ravi Rohmetra | 12/23/2010 12:04:56 AM |
| Among the Punjab hill states,there was Kangra state which has now become a part of Himachal Pardesh in Kangra lies the village Tikka Nagrota where Mr. Mehar Chand was born and 23rd of December 1889 in a well to do family of Mahajan Sahukar.His father Babu Brij Lal was a Pleader. As per the family Pandits the newly born baby was irauspecious for the father, so he was sent to a house of one Mayya RAJPUT of a neighboring village, who become his faster father. He remained there for long 12 years and returned to his parents on the day fixed by the astrologers. The boy Mahajan was very intelligent and his father got him educated in the law in the Punjab University in.
Lahore. Mr Mahajan after attaining the Degree of law started his legal parctice first in dharamshalla and then shifted to Gurdaspur, while doing practice in Gurdaspur he attained fame in his profession and later on he was persuaded by his friends to move to Lahore high court. So in 1928, in age of 28 years he shifted from Gurdaspur to Lahore, I With in a few years, he became a leading advocate and earned respect and money. A case against Maharaja partap Singh was moved in the Lahore high court by the Raja of poonch. Mahajan could earn a lot of money in this case but his good advice to the raja of poonch resulted into a mutual understanding between the two ruling families and the case was withdrawn.
In the year 1921 he purchased a car and made up his mind to visit the world famous Kashmir valley. On his way to Kashmir he came to Jammu and halted for a day and from where, he started his Journey to the valley. In the way, he passed through the beautiful places like, Kud, Batote and Banihal and entered the beautiful valley .He along with his family members visited all the beautiful places of the valley and returned to Lahore.By 1942 he had become most reputed advocate in the whole of Punjab. During the period he came in contact with Arya Samaj and began to take a keen interest in this organization.
In May 1947, the Maharaja Hari Singh the ruler of Jammu and Kashmir State sent his Maharani Tara Devi his son Dr.karan singh and Captain Harnam singh to meet Mahajan Mehar Chand and offerd him the post of a Prime Minister of his state. Mahajan sahib met the maharani sahiba in a Flatti hotel in Lahore. Maharani Sahiba offered Mahajan Sahib the Post of Prime Ministership and asked him to see maharaja Hari singh Mahajan sahib was unwilling and he sitating to accept the said offer when prince karan singh intervened and said to mahajan sahib, "is our state is so small that its post of prime minister is below your status and dignity." On hearing this mahajan sahib agreed to meet maharaja hari Singh. It is said that the name of mahajan sahib was proposed to hari singh by the then home minister of India, Sardar Patel. Immediate after this episode mahajan sahib was made the member of red Cliffe commission. on account of this he could not meet maharaja hari singh. As most of the readers, may not aware that notionally the entire Gurdaspur was awarded to Pakistan and if given permanently, there would have no rail and road link with India of our state and Pakistan could have grasted the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Think a while what could have been the fate of many lakhs of Hindus and Sikhs of the state.
In the Red Cliffe Commission, there were representatives of all the religions and all the parties. The role of mahajan sahib in the division of gurdaspur with India is praise worthy. Moreover gurdaspur district was a Muslim majority area the role principal on which the division of the country took place and so pro Pakistani lobby was expecting the entire Gurdaspur district in the Pakistan. The main arguments which mahajan sahib argued before other commission were as under:
River Ravi should be made boundary between India and Pakistan as this could be a natural dividing line.
The River Ravi canal which was constructed by 40 thousands Sikh soldiers which were disbanded by the Britishers in the second Anglo Sikh was and as such this canal is linked emotionally with Hindu and Sikhs.
It is correct that majority of the members were not unanimous and time was very limited so lord mount- batten was forced to give verdict. It seem that there was some impact of argumenent of Mahajan sahib on the decision of the mount batten which awarded a part of Gurdaspur to India and India could make rail and road link with Jammu and Kashmir state. But the award was kept secret for some time for political reasons.
After the award of red—cliffe mahajan sahib being high court chief judge of the east Punjab took leave with permission from Govt of India and joined on the post of Prime Minister Ship of Jammu And Kashmir State in September 1947 on the salary of Rs.5000/- with free accommodation and vehicle without petrol. It was very difficult situation in the’ state when mahajan sahib joined. He argued and requested Maharaja Hari Singh to pay early decision in regard to this accession of the state with India.
Mean while, Guru Golwalkar of RSS came to Srinagar to presue Maharaja Hari singh to join the India Union. A meeting was held between guru ji and Maharaja Hari singh in which mahajan sahib also participated. Perhaps guru ji was aware of the red cliffe award which was kept to a top secret.
Mahajan sahib also supported Guru Ji and requested Maharaja to take final decision in regard to the accession of his state with India. After the accession was agreed upon by the govt. of India. The India forces arrived at Srinagar airport on 29th October 1947 when they found, the patiala forces were already there to defend the air port. it seems that guru ji had requested the maharaja of patiala immediately after the meeting with maharaja hari singh to send his armed men at srinagar airport for its defence. Otherwise the presence of patiala forces was not possible. In this way Jammu And Kashmir State was saved from falling into the hands of Pakistan and with this many lakhs of Hindus and Sikhs could save their lives and property.
Justice Mahajan made his name as an accomplished lawyer, respected judge, and a very influential politician. As a judge he was incisive and. forthright and had many leading judgment to his credit. Justice Mahajan took office as the third chief justice of India on January 4, 1954. he was the head of the India’s judicial system for almost a year, until his retirement on December 22, 1954 (mandatory retirement at age 65) .before becoming the chief justice, he served as one of the first of the first judge of the supreme court of independent India from October 4, 1948 to January 3,1954.
You got contributed lacks of rupees for the introduction of Arya Samaj. You became the president of Swami Dayanand ji birth place Tankara. Your name is includes in the list of Top most personalities of India.You get the Degree of Doctors for your efficiency and hardwork. You remained as the director for your efficiency and hard work. You remained as the director of Punjab national bank for a period of thirty five years. You were felling yourself pride to be known as Mahajan. You were the first person to use the name of mahajan after your name. In 1929 you were sworn as president of the akhil bhartiya mahajan shiromani sabha.
For your efficiency you were known in aboard and one of the top most personalities of India, for which you are being remembered by everyone. Your decisions have also been put everyone - your decisions have also been put as reference in several high courts.
Your picture still exists in the libraries of parliament aboard viz. England and America. You played a very good active part when you were in the Punjab University, where you got some heart attack.
He continued his active association with the university, literally, till the last day of his life. It was while he was attending the senate meeting of the university at Chandigarh on 11th December 1967 that he suffered a heart attack which proved to be fatal.
It is matter of joy that mahajan ‘sabha has opened a hospital in the memory of mahajan sahib in Gandhi nagar where free treatment and medicines are available to the patients irrespective of caste, creed and colour for which Mahajan deserves pat.
It is also a matter of Joy that senior citizen Hall is also in the name of Justice Mehar chand Mahajan at Gandhi Nagar in Justice Mehar Chand Mahajan Park and 11th Dec. 2009 high court road named after Mahajan Sahib by JMC, EX-Mayor Kavinder Gupta. (Till 1965, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir was called as “Wazir-e-Azam” (Prime Minister) on the occasion of 121st birth anniversary of chief Justice Dr. Mehar Chand Mahajan Ravi Rohmetra Social Worker And Writer Recollect Some Remembrances of the great man much has been written on him and much more can be written about him but still we will not be in a position to touch even fringe of personality.
Ravi Rohmetra Social worker and writer
(M) 9419652999
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
